Coke-oven decasboktizatioh



L.VWLPUTTL COKE QVEN DECARBONIZATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY If S921 3 SHEETS--SHEEI ATTGRNEV L. WILPUTTE.

COKE OVEN DECARBONIZATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1921.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a/mmy ATTORNEY L. WILPUTTE.

COKE OVEN DECARBONIZATION APPLICATION FILED MAY14.1921.

1 435,036 1 Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

3 SHEETS- -SHEET 3.

v aid 5 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 192.2;

um'rsn stares PAT ill l l ll'llil.

LOUIS WILPUTTE, OF NEW RQGHELLE, YORK, ASSIGNOB OF TWO-THIEDS TO ALICE A. VIILPUTTE. Q33 NEEV ROCHELLE. NEW YORK.

COKEOV]T-N DECABBONIZATION.

Application filed May 14L,

Be it known that l, Louis lViLr'orrn, a citizen oi the United States, and resident Of New Rochelle. in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented. certain new and "useful Improvements in COlZG- Oven Decarbonization, or which the following; is a specification.

My present invention consists in an improved method of, and apparatus for elimi nating carbon deposits from the fuel gas supply channels of coke ovens, and was primarily devised and is especially adapted for use in regenerative coke ovens having vertical heating flues.

In the general type of lay-product regenen ative coke oven in most extensive use in this country, the heating walls between the coking chambers are provided with a series of vertical lines which receive combustible gas at their lower ends throi' channels extending horizontally into the oven structure from the opposite sides of the battery to the flow reversal plane located approximately midway between the sides Of the battery. Each 01 these supply channels in an oven of the ordinary dimensions, is in the neighborhood of eighteen to twenty feet in length, and supplies fuel gas to the various vertical, heating:- lines in the corresponding,"portion of the heating wall. Ordinarily something like twelve to sixteen vertical heating flues are supplied with gas from each gas channel, each flue being connected to the appropriate gas supply channel by an individual passage including; a measuring nozzle of retractory earthenware.

The cha ncls are located in briclv worl: wall portions of the oven structure, which are highly heated, and the gas passing; to the vertical heating lines adjacent the center, of the battery is thus hinhl iheated, while the gas passing to the tines adjacent the sides oi? the battery is less highly heated because the cooling effect oi the gas "flowing through the channels is more pronounced in the outer portions of the channels than in the inner end portions. The high temperature to which the fuel gas is thus subjected tends to crack its hydrocarbon. constitucuts with resultant deposit of solid carbon on the walls 01: the horizontal gas supply channels and the passages connecting the channels to the vertical fiues. This carbon 192 Serial No. 469,506.

is especially objectionable in the gas nozzle orifices as any carbon deposition there correspondingly varies the amount of gas which the orifice will pass, and moreover, these orifices, which ordinarily run from threeeighths to three-fourths of an inch in diameter, are so small that a relatively small amount of carbon deposition is sufficient to wholly or largely close them.

The trouble caused by carbon deposition is of such a serious character hat it is regular operating practice to provide men whose sole or principal duty it is to punch carbon out of the nozzle orifices and to replace nozzles broken in this punching; out operation. To punch the carbon. out of the nozzles is a ditlicult and arduous operation since it must be done from. the top of the oven structure by means of iron bars inserted through apertures left for the purpose in the upper portion of the oven structure. The temperatures to which these bars are subjected are so high that the bars lose their normal rigidity aftcr few seconds use, and considerable skill is'required to enable the operator to insert the end of the bar into the eye of a nozzle located a dozen feet or sci-beneath his feet when the bar itself is highly flexible and the nozzle and the walls of the tlues into which he must loolr are white hot. In consequence nozzles are broken with considerable frequency in the punching out operation.

ordinary regenerative coke oven, is supplied through each gas supply channel intermittently. To minimize the troubles due to carbon deposition provision has been made in the past to feed air into each horizontal gas supply channel, during a portion or all of the time in which that channel is not passing gas to the vertical heating); flues= The air thus supplied tends to burn out the carbon previously deposited in the gas channels. passages, and nozzles. In generahhowever, heretofore it has not been found possible to avoid the necessity for constant su pervision and more or less frequent nozzle punching operations by feeding air into the as channels, owing, primarily. I believe, to the fact that heretofore the decarbonizing air has been supplied to the gas channels at the outer ends of the latter.

In accordance with the present invention, l supply decarbonizing air to the inner ends oil? the supply channels and thereby assure an adquate supply of decarbonizing air to the nozzles adjacent the center of the battery where the carbon deposition is the heaviest. vl' hen the air is supplied to the outer ends the channels, the resistance to the flow through the channels, and the do creased densitv due to its hi her te1noera- I the cracking of the bricks forming the channel walls as a result or"- their contraction and expansion under the temperature variations to which they are thus subjected.

In the practical carrying out of my invention I supply air to the inner ends of. the supply channel through special channels formed in the oven structure, and preferably utilize the same reversing mechanism by which the flow through the regenerator and heating fines is reversed at regular intervals. to start and stop the flow of air through the special air supply channels at the proper intervals. The air supply channels prefer ably include portions extending from the sides of the battery nearly to the center of the battery which are located in portions oi? the battery structure much less highly heated than are the walls ol the supply channels. In consequence of the length and disposition oil the air supply channels, the decarbonizing air heats up gradually in its passage from the outside oi? the battery to the inner ends of the gas channels and does not come in contact with hi l'ily heated portions of the oven brick work until it is quite highly heated. I thus avoid subjecting highly heated .portions of the oven brick worlr to the undesirable cooling effect of comparatively cold air.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and 'l'orn'iing a part of this specification. For a better understanding oF the invention, however, and its advantages. reference should be had to the acompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention.

Of the. drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a regenerative coke oven battery of well'known type in section on the line 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the battery shown in Fig. 1 partly in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the battery shown in Fig. 1.;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line 4l-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a partial sectional elevation taken similarly to Fig. 1. illustrating a 1nodified construction;

Fig. 6 is a partial section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7? of Fig. '5.

In Figs. 1 to l inclusive of the drawings I have illustrated the application of my invention to a regenerative coke oven of well known type in which the horizontal coking chamberse. are separated by heating walls .13 1n which are formed vertical heating flues E arranged in a series extending-from one end of the wall to the other. The flues E in each heating wall are connected at their upper ends by the so-called horizontal channel F. The group of fines E in each heating wall at one side of the flow reversal plane .A--A which is located at, or approximately at the center of the battery, are connected by ports or passages H to a gas supply channel. H, individual to that group of fines, while the other vertical lines E in the same heating-wall are connected by passages H to a corresponding gas supply channel HA...

In operation the various channels H and HA are intended to be alternately connected to a source of fuel gasby the usual piping and automatically actuated valves which are well known and hence have not been illustrated in the drawings. The lines E in each heat ing wall. connected to a gas supply channel ll are also connected by ports to a corre sponding regenerator space or spaces ID located between. the oven supporting walls 0.

nd through which air passes upward to the lines E; and is preheated during the perioc s in which gas is supplied to these flues E through the channels ll. During the periods in. which the supply oi gas through the channels H is interrupted. products of combustion sucked downward from the corresponding flues E hrough the ports D into the regenerator space or spaces connected to those lines. Similarly the dues E connected to thegas supply ohanllels'l lA a re also connected to a regenerator space or spaces through which air flows upwardly during the periods in which gas is being supplied to the channels Ill-r and through which. pro-- ducts of combustion flow downward during the periods in which the, supply of gas to the channel HA is interrupted.

The properdistribution of gas from each the channels H and HA. to thedifferent flues E to which the channel is connected, is regulated by the sizes of the orifices or ports through the usual nozzles G seated one in each passage H. Vertical, channels normally closed at their upper ends by removable covers are provided in the top of the oven structure in line with the lines E to permit inspection and replacement of the nozzles G and to permit carbon to be punched out of the nozzle orifices if and when this may be necessary. [n so far as above described the oven shown in Figs. 1 to 41; is of a standard type construction in exten sive use.

In accordance with the present invention decarbonizing air is supplied to the channel H and HA at appropriate times through supply channels formed in the oven structure and leading from the sides of the battery to the inner ends of the different gas supply channels H and HA. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, decarbonizing air is supplied to each of the channels H and HA through a corresponding vertical channel H formed in the oven supporting wall C and connecting the corresponding gas supply channel to the inner end of a horizontal. channel H extending into the lower portion of the oven structure from the same side of the latter as the gas supply channel H or HA to which it connected. To minimize the possibility of the channel H becoming clogged as by broken nozzle fragments I may decrease the thickness in a direction transverse to the heating walls, of the upper end portion H of each channel H as it approaches the corresponding gas channel, and increase its di mensions parallel to the length of the gas channel so that it opens to the latterthrough an elon ated slot-like orifice a considerable portion of which may be clogged without material interference with the flow of de carbonizinp; air. To prevent diiliculty from small nozzle fragments or the like falling downward through the channels H I advantageously provide a well H in the oven foundation at the lower end of the vertical channel H By arranging each channel H in vertical alignment withaflueE and passage E'it would be possible to inspect and to punch out the upper end portion of the channel H in case the latter became clogged, but in eral I consider it preferable to arrange the channels H out of alignment with the tines E as shown in Fig. 1 since with this arrange ment, the possibility of the elongated narrow upper ends or discharge orifices oi; the channels H becoming sufficiently clogged to interfere with eiiicient operation. is very remote.

The passage of air through the channels H and H is controlled by suitable valves or connections at the outer ends of the channels H". In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to l, a valve member L is provided at the outer end of each channel H which serves, when on its seat L, to close the outer end of the channel, and when lifted oil". its seat to open the outer end of the channel to the atmosphere so that atmospheric air then. be drawn into the correspoi ling gas supply channel H or HA. Adva itagcously the valve members L are operated by the same reversing mechanism employed to control the admission of air to and the dis-'- charge of products of combustion from the regenerators.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, each valve B16271" ber L and its valve seat L forms part oil? valve mechanism J which also incluc. valve member J and a valve member r- The valve member J regulates the escape oi products of combustion from, and the valve member J regulates the admission of air to a regenerator space or s aces of the bat tery. The valve members J and J of each valve mechanism J are operated by a common valve actuating lever J The latter is shifted in one direction to move the valve member J into its closed position and the valve members J and L into their open positions, and is moved in the opposite direction to seat the valve members J and L, and to open the valve member J by means of a cable M shown in Fig. 3 as running around the battery and connected at its ends to a reversing motor N places at one end of the battery. The cable M runs over suitabli-r guide pulleys M and is provided with stop collars M for shifting the valve arms 1 As shown each valve actuat g member J is pivotally connected to thecorresponding valve casing at and is lint: connected to the stems of the valve members J J Each valve actuatinp; member J includes a portion J working in a slotted yolre L scoured to the upper side of the corresponding valve member L, the parts being: so pro portioned that, notwithstanding) the considerable movement given the pa t J when the valve actuating; member J moved heel: and forth, the valve member L will not be lifted unduly high above its seat. The valve members L drop back to their seats under the action of the gravity en permitted to do so, As a CO; for re-ulat-in the amoui "5 of air entering the c nels H I prov. r it the nipi a con ectlng the outer end or e ch? vel to toe corresponding valve seat L. union or coupling L in which I place a disc Ti having; an orifice whichdetermines the amount of air passing through the piping when the correspondingwalve member L is in its open position. To increase or decrease the ra c. at which air is drawn into any channels H the correspon'din; measuring disc L may be replaced by another having a larger or smaller orifice respectively.

In the contemplated mode of operation or the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, during any period or stage in operation in which tion between the channels it and he, and the conduits l and IA respectively. As: shown each valve LA is mounted in a valve mechanisrn JA which differs from the valve mechanism J in that the actuating ineniher Ji l replaciinq the member 3 of the con struction iirst described is arranged to open the valve members LA. and J at the same tiine and in that the valve member ll, Works in a closed charoher L communicating through a port 5 with the chamber of the valve casing to which the correspon-ztlingt; regenerator air supply passage ll. is connected.

In practice I prefer form the channels H 78, and he; by iron pipes embedded in concrete and located at or about the level oi the bottom edges of the regenerators. I prefer to form the channels H by resist 1'- ing orifices in the superimposed hriclrs forming the Walls C.

\Vhile in accordance With the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described. the best form of embodiment in my invention now known to me. it will he apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may he made in the form of ap paratus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may he used to advantage Without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. in a coke oven having fuel supply channels extending into the even structure from its outer surface for substantial distances. the improvement which consists in provisions for introducing decarhonieinrg air into said channels at points remote from said surface.

2. In a regenerative coke oven in I series oil coking chambers separated by heat .ing Walls formed With flue spaces and hav ing fuel as supply channels each extend" into the oven structure from the side the latter and connected to the flue spaces in a heating Wall at intervals along the length the latt r, the improvement Which cons in provisions for introducing decarhonicing air into each oi said channels at a point remote the side of the oven structure i reni which the channel extends into the lin a re nerative coke oven oi the verypc having fuel gas supply ling into the oven str cture e sides of the latter approxce r of the oven and haveach side oil": the oven straw lcr pressure to the s to he preheated therein, 1 which consists in channels intermittently connect tie gas f. 110?) a channels the one side of the even so (111178 to the conduits at the t 11G structure.

ative coke oven. having I vertically lilucd heating tie coking chambers and reunderneath the even 3 --li SI. 1 35 its V of the latter approximately to the center of the oven, and each connected a nlura ity of combustion dus y and a re to: periodically reversing3 the lie-W through the regrenerators and flue s aces, the improvement which con sists in controlled by said reversing gear for in nttently introducing; decarhonizinp; air into said channels at their inner ends.

LOUIS W ILPUTTE.

into the even from the 

